The Dickinson press., 1887-08-06
Sick Fowls.

Complaints are unusually frequent this
season in regard to sick fowls. In nine
cases out of every ten reported the disease
is roup in one of its several stages, and it
is caused from neglected colds, undue eX-
posure to cold and wet, r~oosting in
draughts or confinement in i'll ventilated
houses. The very first symptom of this
dreaded disease is IL hoarsencss and pccu-
liar noise made by the chick, which, for
lack of n better term, nay be called Il
'ssneeze," a general dumpishness and dis
inclination to eat. At this stage if prompt
and efficient treatment be given the birds
can be saved.
AS roup is highly contagious, the first
thing to be done is to isolate sick birds
from the we'll ones. The writer separates
from the flock the birds as soon as they
begin to sneezc, confines them i'll venti-
lated but dry coops. The birds are fed on
cooked food, in which is mixed Il little
cayenne pepper and spirits of camphor,
while in their drinking water is put
Douglas mixture Mt the rate of two table
spoonfuls to Il gallon of water.
AT the second stage of the disease the
cold has developed an offensive discharge
from the nostrils and eyes, an offensive
breath, and refusal usually to either eat
or drink. Even at this stage the birds
may be saved by administering roup
pills-German roup pills are Il popular
understanding to directions, keeping up
Douglas mixture in the water in which
has been dropped II little carbolic acid.
When the third stage is reached, at which
juncture the head becomes much swollen
and ulcers appear, it is folly To doctor the
fowls. They ought to be killed imme-
diately and their bodies buried.
When once the roup. even in its first
stage, has appeared, ii is a wise precau-
ton to feed the we'll fowls a little sulphur
in their food, and tincture of iron in the
drinking water. We have given above
the more marked symptoms of roup and
the remedies that have proven ciIectual
according to the violence of the attacks.
but the offensive breath, the sore throat
and mouth. the snceZc, discharge from
nostrils and eyes, will, one or more of
them, mark the disease. Roup remedies
arc legion. but preventive means are best.
1T will pay every one who keeps fowls to
have on hand roup pills and Douglas
mixture; these two remedies lave been
proven beyond doubt to he excellent, and
there is no hcSitancy in recommending
them.
Indigestion, due to cold sometimes, but
usually to Il too stimulating diet, NAV be
mtlSateu by cutting dow the diet to soft.
bland food and Il limited water supply.
Indigestion causes sometimes what il;
termed crop bound" The food does not
pass into the stomach, and the crop be.
comes swollen and hard, which renders
the bird restless, with inclination to toss
the head about and draw up the crop. The
treatment for this is a little warm water
forced down the throat and gentle knead.
ing of the crop; then give a teaspoonful OF
castor oil, and leave the rest to nature,
Feed very soft food only. and allow but
little water.
Food Required by a Working Horse.
The amount of food required by a work
ing horse must be adapted to the work
performed. Food is needed to sustain lif,
first, and then to repair the waste of the
muscular system caused by the work
Henry Stewart, good authority in sucl
matters, says that to sustain the vita
action and force a horse of 1.aOO pound.
requires about twenty-five pounds of ha.
per day. If the animal is working har,
there should be added to this a certai,
quantity of grain food, easily digcstibl
and containing a sufficient amount of al
luminous matter to repair the waste 0
the muscles, and enough starch or othe
carbonaceous matter to sustain the acce]
Grated respiration produced by the work
a great many experiments and practica
experience have shown that a ], 200 poun
horse worked to his full capacity will nee
at least twenty pounds of digestible ma,
ter, consisting OF sixteen pounds of ca,
Donaceous matter and four pounds of a
luminous matter. AS about three-fftt
OF the food consumed is digested, tt
Whole quantity given should be abo,
wenty-seven pounds in all, of which 1
per cent. should be hay of the best qualit,
Without going into details MI. Stewa
tells, in Rural New Yorker, that the 81
teen pounds of grain food nav be ma,
up OF eight pounds Of corn and oat mel
three pounds of linseed cake meal a,
five pounds of mill feed. To secure d
best digestion of this food the hay shou
be cut and wetted slightly and mix
with the other feed finely ground. Ii
seed oil cake meal new process) is high
albuminous, containing 27.S per cent.
digestible albuminoids, and must the
fore be fed with caution. Three to fl
pounds per day may be given safely.
the meal is old process it contains 10 I